Residents say $900K taxpayer-funded retaining wall is an 'embarrassment'

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A retaining wall collapsed and closed a busy road to a shopping center for 15 months. It finally just reopened, but the new version is being called an eyesore.

Channel 2's Berndt Petersen has learned the new wall on McGinnis Ferry Road has a thin 'stucco-like' covering.

Residents told him while it may be a solid wall, it looks awful.

The road has traditionally been something of a gateway into Forsyth County. Local resident Nan Bodeep says the new wall is an embarrassment.

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"People are talking about it, and looking at it, and laughing," Bodeep said.

The newly repaired the retaining wall at the entrance to the Flynn Crossing Shopping Center.

Channel 2 Action News was there the day it collapsed back in April of 2017 closing the road to the mall. It took nearly 15 months to fix.

The road finally reopened a week ago, leaving many unimpressed.

"Just like a wall at home. You see a blemish on the wall, you don't want to see that. It's that simple.  But the difference is, that's almost a million dollars," said local resident Elvis Raines.

It was just short of $900,000, with taxpayers on the hook.

County officials determined the original construction may have been at fault, but the original builder is no longer in business. Some shoppers don't care.

"I'm thrilled the road is open. It's not aesthetically pleasing, but a lot of things aren't," said resident Christina McGrath.

Bodeep sees what county inspectors saw: small cracks in the 'stucco-like' coating. Engineers said the wall is solid. They had the contractor fill the cracks, but some said the brand-new wall looks like it needs a paint job.

"It's ugly. They certainly didn't say, 'Let's make this as good looking or better than the one that was there before.'"

A spokesman for the Forsyth County Commission told Petersen that for now, there are no plans to paint the wall.

Cox Media Group